World-class golf at Woodlands Glencoe
Woodlands Golf Course, formerly The Dragon’s Tooth Golf Course, is an award-winning 9-hole golf course near Glencoe in The Scottish Highlands.
Named by Golf.com as one of the top 50, 9-hole courses in the world, it’s a must visit for keen golfers and those new to the sport. Set against a beautiful lochside backdrop, it truly is one of the most dramatic settings in the country.
Open year round, the course is open to all – offering spectacular scenery and wonderful, challenging game play.
- Best 9-hole golf course in Scotland - Bunkered Magazine
- Top 50 9-hole golf courses in the world - Golf.com
A warm welcome to visitors - pay & play
We welcome visitors of all abilities – from seasoned golfers to newcomers – and no handicap certificate is required to play our course. You can even hire golf clubs if you’ve decided to sneak in a round when you weren’t expecting to.
Our wonderful rural location means that there’s no need to book a tee time – simply turn up and play whenever suits your schedule! Where possible, please pay for your round before arrival to avoid any delays.
Pay & Play Rates | Adult (16+) | Junior |
|---|---|---|
9 holes Play a round at one of Scotland’s best 9 holers! | £24.95 | £14.95 |
Day pass A full day of fun – play as many rounds as you like! | £29.95 | £19.95 |
Hire & play deal Our best value ticket with everything you need for your round. Includes a full day pass, club & trolley hire, 3 balls & 6 tees (RRP £54.65). | £39.95 | £29.95 |
The “Dragon’s Circle” membership Become recognised members of one of the most spectacular 9-hole golf courses in the world and make Woodlands Glencoe your home-away-from-home Scottish Club. Members receive an authentic certificate of membership and can play as often as they like when visiting (club hire included). What’s more a native Scottish tree will be planted in your honour and will be listed on our tree map. | £99.95 per year. Please see our membership section below for full details & to book. | |
Equipment Hire | Price |
|---|---|
Electric golf buggy For one round or £34.95 for two rounds. Members receive 50% off. | £29.95 |
Golf club hire See “Hire & play deal” adjacent for best value. One set of clubs required per player to avoid slow play. | £14.95 |
Golf trolley hire Manual trolleys are available for hire. | £4.95 |
Become a member at Woodlands Golf Course
Membership Rates | Price |
|---|---|
Early bird membership Our best value membership and exactly the same as the “standard” membership below, for those paying by Direct Debit and before the 31st of March each year. | £349.95 Available 2024 |
Standard membership Play as much golf as you like, from the 1st of April to the 31st of March each year. If you’re new to the area and want to join part-way through the season a sliding discount is available so please ask at reception. | £399.95 Purchase now |
Spread the cost An easier way to pay for membership! 12 monthly payments of £34.95 by direct debit. Please note this is an annual agreement, must be set up before the 31st of March and cannot be stopped part way through the season (risk a lifetime ban if so). Please see here for full terms and conditions. | £34.95 p/m for 12 months Available 2024 |
Junior, youth or student Cheap golf for anyone in full time education (proof required). A further 50% is taken off this price in your first year of joining (please discuss at reception). | £99.95 Purchase now |
Winter membership Play from the 1st of November to the 31st of March each year. | £99.95 Purchase now |
The “Dragon’s Circle” membership Similar to an International, Overseas or Associate membership at other courses, this recurring annual membership is available to anyone living 35+ miles from the course with no local property, and helps support nature and wildlife projects across the Woodlands Estate. Become recognised members of one of the most spectacular 9-hole golf courses in Scotland and make Woodlands Glencoe your home-away-from-home Scottish Club. Members receive an authentic certificate of membership and can play as often as they like when visiting (club hire included). What’s more a native Scottish tree will be planted in your honour and will be listed on our tree map. Please click here for more information. | £99.95 Purchase now |
Corporate Golf Memberships
Mixing business and golf has never been so easy!
- For you: Make the greens your second office: entertain your guests and colleagues in style at one of the ‘Top 50, 9-hole courses in the World’. Or simply enjoy the pleasure of an escape from the busy office!
- For your team: Let your staff enjoy free golf for the year, a fantastic perk of working for your business and something to differentiate you from other employers.
- For your customers: Create golf packages for your most loyal returning guests as an extra special “thank you!”; or share this perk with your customers as a great and free thing to do in the local area.
Pricing is simple – you can name an individual / individuals in the company for £349.95 per person inclusive of VAT and they receive all the perks of our standard membership. Or buy a batch of tickets which can be handed out flexibly to whoever you like across the year! It’s just £149.95 for 20 full day passes or £349.95 for 50 (less than £7 per round!).
Woodlands corporate members enjoy access to exceptional golf facilities as well as the cosy Clubhouse with wood burning stove and honesty bar! In addition, corporate members (together with their colleagues) will receive 20% off Woodlands luxury lodge accommodation and 50% off at the Activity Centre (e-bike hire, Segway tours, archery and laser clay shooting).
Course overview
A great opening par four. An accurate tee shot is required as a shot left of centre will result in the path to the green being hampered by a mature Lime just off the fairway. The second shot is not easy either as the elevated green sits guarded by two well placed bunkers and a water hazard just off the back.
Sponsor: The Ballachulish Hotel is conveniently situated on the edge of the Woodlands Estate meaning our guests and golfers can enjoy delicious locally produced food within a short stroll from the lodges and fairways!
The signature hole. A classic par three and it’s so pleasing to the eye from the tee. Going for glory to the green can be hampered by a burn running from left to right in front of green; to the left mature trees and a hidden bunker just behind . To the right a mature old oak overhangs the green. All this and the forward sloping green sits on a naturally elevated rock formation. Good luck!
Sponsor: The Isles of Glencoe Hotel is situated just a five minute’s drive from the Woodlands Estate and is the perfect place to enjoy a post-golf lunch and even a swim and sauna in the brilliant leisure centre.
From an elevated tee this short, par four may tempt the long hitter to go for the hidden green. However, mature trees to the left will punish a low drive. The green sits low down, guarded by two deep bunkers.
Sponsor: Crieff Hydro Hotel is arguably one of the most comprehensive family resorts in Scotland, situated down in Perthshire and tucked away within its own 900 acre estate, we highly recommend enjoying quality family time at Crieff.
Teeing off on the edge of Loch Linnhe looking up towards the Dragon’s Tooth mountain – not many other tees can offer such a striking all round view. A sliced shot off this tee could land you in the wet stuff. Avoiding the water, the wide uphill fairway is hazardless to the undulating green and guarded by a sole pot bunker.
Sponsor: Argyll & Lochaber Joiners are our go to local joiners! No job is too big or small and they’re always super happy to help. Look out for the team playing on the course!
This is a short par four with a slight dog leg to the left. The fairway is split by a pond and overflow burn .The green sits down-hill for second shot; it is protected by a bunker on the left and small pond to the right.
Starting from an elevated tee, this par four hole has a narrow fairway that dog-legs to the right. Further to the right, the hole is bordered by mature trees and there is very little view of green until you’re on it .
Short par three, looking on to the Pap of Glencoe in the distance, with a slight uphill green that is protected by two pot bunkers, one at the front and one at the left. Landing on the green may not guarantee the sand wedge staying in the bag!
The eight is all down, with a double dog leg left then right. Mature trees follow this par five all the way to the green alongside the burn on the right hand side. The green is protected by large bunker at the front and river directly behind. Tricky.
Another classic par three for the last hole. From an elevated tee looking back towards the Club House, this shot is threaded through a tunnel of mature trees over a burn and road to a two tee green guarded by a front facing deep bunker. Golf shots don’t come much better.
Golf course history
Woodlands Glencoe sits at “Glenn a` Chadias” (Glen at the narrow crossing) and for many decades the land was used for grazing cattle.
The golf course was the brainchild of the farm owners at the time, Ronnie and Joan MacLaughlin, along with their son Fraser. They appointed the well known Golf Course Architect Robin Hiseman who now practices his art in the harsh conditions of the Dubai Desert, a world apart from the lush conditions of the Highlands and the West Coast of Scotland. Robin was astounded by the superb setting at Ballachulish, and used his skills to create a course that is as challenging as it is beautiful.
It was Fraser MacLaughlin who put in so much hard work and devotion to creating the course, supported by his wife Lorraine and their young family.
Andrew Burnett of Greenstaff Services provided much of the technical expertise and the skilled manpower that converted fields to fairways and the quality of the course today pays tribute to the craftsmanship of the construction.
After much work, “The Dragon’s Tooth Golf Course” (now Woodlands Glencoe) was opened on the 8th of June 2002 by Scottish Rugby Star Rob Wainwright.
The golf course surrounds Ballachulish House – a 250 year old country house which has chilling connections with the Glencoe massacre (1692) as well as the Appin Murder (1752) and the mystery of the Red Fox. For much of the last decade a country house hotel, the house is now a private home.
The whole area is steeped in Scottish history. The course also ‘hides’ part of this in the form of a Pictish burial site which has remained remarkably well intact and preserved. Golf course construction took into account this ancient burial site which was left untouched and the surrounding lay of the course means that it goes largely unnoticed by golfers. Indeed, it’s hidden from most, and you won’t find it listed anywhere!
Of course much of the courses’ success is down to the passion, enthusiasm and hard work of our Head Greenkeepers over the years to which we owe greatly.
2009 – 2014 Head Greenkeeper David Lawrence
2014 – 2021 Head Greenkeeper Johnny Henshall
2021 – Present Head Greenkeeper Craig Russell
Frequently asked questions
Can my dog join me on the course?
At Woodlands, we love your furry friends and they are very welcome to join you during your round.
We do, however, ask that dogs are kept on a lead and off the greens
I'm not a Woodlands member, can I still play?
Yes, non-members are warmly welcomed to pay and play.
Do you hire equipment?
Yes, we hire out everything required for a round of golf, including buggies, kids equipment and left / right hand equipment.
What's the yardage?
Hole 1 – 300 yards – par 4
Hole 2 – 150 yards – par 3
Hole 3 – 280 yards – par 4
Hole 4 – 370 yards – par 4
Hole 5 – 360 yards – par 4
Hole 6 – 270 yards – par 4
Hole 7 – 140 yards – par 3
Hole 8 – 495 yards – par 5
Hole 9 – 180 yards – par 3
Will I have to book a tee time?
There’s no need to book a tee time, you can simply turn up and play.
Does bad weather stop play?
Being a Scottish course, we can’t let a bit of rain stop play; however, if the ground is particularly wet, buggies aren’t allowed on the course.
